But when I visit, I can’t seem to shake the feeling that I have jet lag. It’s phantom jet lag brought on by 19th-century architecture and street names like Rue St Denis and Rue Saint Sulpice. I’m in Canada, but this quasi-European, culturally French city makes me feel intercontinental.

Traveler magazine Editor-in-Chief Keith Bellows wrote of his hometown: “…it’s the closest you’ll get to being in Europe without going there,” so it’s no wonder Montreal feels fairy-tale perfect during the Christmas season.

I know what I love about Montreal (dinner at Garde-Manger where the menu is scribbled on a chalkboard, the decades-old Jean-Talon Market in Montreal’s Petite-Italie, and those yummy Montreal-style St-Viateur bagels), but I was on a mission to find out makes the city so special during the holidays.

And who’s better equipped to give me the inside scoop than a truly tuned-in local like Hugo Legrand, the president of Les Clefs d’Or Canada (the Hotel Concierge Society of Canada) and chief concierge at the Sofitel?

Here’s Hugo Legrand’s recipe for a festive (and active) day in Montreal:

- Start your day out right by indulging in a world-class breakfast or brunch at Le Renoir in the heart of the city’s Golden Square Mile.

Get lost in the magic at the Luminotherapie. (Photograph by Caribb, Flickr)

– Walk the cobblestone streets (or take a carriage ride) in Old Montreal and feel the magic of Christmas. Make sure to go by the Notre-Dame Basilica (a must for Christmas Eve mass) and pop into the Noel Eternel boutique for a souvenir ornament.

– Cap off the day and warm up with some comfort food of seasonal Quebec fare at Baxo or opt for Restaurant Europea for an “award-winning local gastronomic experience in a warm and cozy atmosphere.”

“Hotel rates are very reasonable in December, which make it a perfect time to visit,” Legrand says. But think about staying through the new year, because Montreal knows how to celebrate this holiday in style. You can also find some of the best skiing on the East Coast and several unique outdoor activities such as dog sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing just a short drive from the city.

Annie Fitzsimmons is Intelligent Travel’s Urban Insider, giving you the dish on the best things to see and do in cities all over the world. Follow her travels on Twitter @anniefitz.

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Fairfield Limos

http://www.shadyslimo.com/ct/fairfield-limo-service

December 11, 2012, 3:28 pm

Yes please! Going to take a drive up there. I heard it was beautiful but your post just solidified my travel!

Thanks!

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